Maybe we should list the shops that do allow you to try whistles, as kind of preferred local venues. I suppose before doing that, we should know it’s legal for them to allow it. Any whistling lawyers here with an answer to that (in the U.S.)?
Tery
It’s not legal in Virginia but apparently is in Maryland (or at least Takoma Park 
.
Scott
I know I tried whistles in a shop in PA, but I didn’t ask, so I don’t know if it’s legal. They were out, no plastic covering the fipples . . . I figured that meant they were for playing . And I did buy several.
Tery
On 2002-09-19 17:02, srt19170 wrote:
It’s not legal in Virginia but apparently is in Maryland (or at least Takoma Park >Scott
Does that law cover all wind instruments? Such a law would be of great benefit to mail order businesses, but would certainly harm local dealers. Who in their right mind would purchase a trumpet or French horn from a local shop unless they could try it out first?
Hi tkelly, it is funny that you brought up this post, as only recently I wandered into this piano shop and found a couple of Walton’s whistles. Anyway, after asking owner politely if I would be able to play one, I was shocked to hear his reply of no due to health regulations, BLAH,BLAh and so on. I explained to him about wanting to check out the tone and the intonation and any dead notes on the whistle. Again his answer was no, this time he got out an air pump and attached it over the mouthpiece, and the whistle squealed a little. I don’t know what the hell he was thinking. He seemed happy, it worked!!! Definately an ideas man!!
In conclusion I bought the same Walton’s Mellow D that was so well demonstrated to me, and it was out of tune, with a crumby C natural note… I now don’t play this whistle at all, and have gone back to old faithful, my Generation.
In conclusion, if u can’t play it, DON’T buy it!
See ya Andy
That’s my policy - and I tell them that that is why I am leaving.
I don’t even know of any whistle selling shops in Rochester NY. In Boise there are two but they don’t let you try them. I know there is one shop in SLC that lets you try them.
My sentiments, also. I can’t imagine buying a clarinet mouthpiece, for instance, without first trying a few out. Likewise, I try to apply that to whistles. In no case would I ever buy a “cheapie” without trying it first and have also walked out of shops telling them why I’m not spending my money there. On a high-end whistle, unless I’m very sure of the maker’s consistency and reputation and am 99% sure it will meet my criteria, I also want to try it, first. Dusty Strings in Seattle, a very nice store, lets you try before you buy. I’ve purchased several whistles from them and will continue to give them business because of their friendly policies and customer service.
There is a music store here in CA that I’m a “regular” at. I used to take fiddle lessons there but now I just go in and play with the people there. So the owner had ordered 3 Acorn D’s and 2 Oak C’s. I figured nobody would be buying them anytime soon, so what harm could I do? The Acorns were decent. The Oak C’s were scratchy and the second octave was very difficult. As I was putting them away (after washing them) this little Mexican woman, the cashier, told me something in broken English. I said “Excuse me?” Then her 12 year old daughter comes over and says “You’re gonna have to pay for that now.”
[ This Message was edited by: whistlingfiddler on 2002-09-20 11:17 ]
Who in their right mind would purchase a trumpet or French horn from a local shop unless they could try it out first?
Dunno. I’ve never bought a trumpet .
I know that music shops that sell harmonicas have a wind bellows for “playing” the harmonicas.
– Scott
Hi Andy,
Unfortunately, the owner got a good deal there – you’re the one stuck with the bad whistle, not him. Maybe the shops that won’t let you try a whistle should guarantee that you can return it if it’s bad. Then you can buy it, open it, try it, and return it if it’s lousy . That would certainly be within their standard return period .
I have 2 thoughts about this. One is that I’m going to learn to play a scale or simple tune on some expensive wind instrument, and ask to try one of those first. If they let me, that blows a hole in the illegal argument – it’s either legal or they just let me break the law. The other is that I will not buy what I can’t try – and I’ll tell them why they’re not making the sale. The one exception I might make to that is with the old-style Gens. My Gen D, purchased not long ago – after trying it in the shop – is one of those, and it’s a good Gen. Perhaps if I saw a Gen with the old kind of fipple, I’d buy that without trying.
Tery
Best be careful! I wanted to try a bunch of whistles at The House of Musical Traditions. So I called ahead and asked if I could try them at the store. They said sure. So I went over, and asked the salesgirl at the counter if I could play them. She said sure. A bit later I was shocked out of my blissful contemplation by someone SHOUTING across the store, "MA’AM! MA’AM! YOU… WITH THE WHISTLES! Would you PLEASE STOP because I’m TRYING TO TAKE A PHONE CALL! It was incredibly humiliating, and I was so angry that I walked out and didn’t go back in for months, which is too bad for them because I used to go in and drop $100 on music and supplies without thinking too hard about it. Even now I have bad feelings about that particular individual. So, beware of trying whistles in stores!
Heather M.
Don’t feel too badly, Heather, I had exactly the same experience at Foxes Music (in VA). The sales person said “It’s only a $10 whistle, you don’t have to try every one of them!” Needless to say, I bought none of them and haven’t been back since.
Scott
Some of this topic has been covered at:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?topic=2628&forum=1
I’ve never had a problem trying whistles/flutes at any store or festival booth that sold them. Some places ask you to give the instrument back to the clerk for sanitizing before they’re put back on the shelf. I’m happy to comply with that.